Time to lay down those ground rules

As an employer, it is vital for you to detail practices, guidelines, expectations and procedures of your business to your employees.

A Staff Handbook, also known as an employee manual or company handbook, is a useful tool for outlining in writing all the practices and procedures you want your employees to follow.

By formally writing down your policies and providing clear guidelines, you provide clarity which means you spend less time answering questions and explaining the rules and regulations of the office. You also lessen your chances of ending up in court.

A Staff Handbook is an easy way to let you put the company’s staff policies into one document.

All of your employees should be issued with handbook at the start of their employment and should then confirm that they have read and understood the book. The Staff Handbook should also be referred to in your employees’ employment contracts.

David Park, Oglethorpe, Sturton and Gillibrand’s Employment Law expert lawyer, says: “Staff handbooks are an increasingly popular method for employers to regulate and clarify their employment practices and procedures.”

David highlights a number of compelling reasons including:

• There are a number of areas in which it is useful to have a policy but which are not appropriate to go into an employment contract. Examples of these areas are health and safety, home working, e-mail and internet use and office procedures.

• It is easier to change a policy in a handbook than in a contract.

• Employment tribunal claims are on the increase. If you have a clear policy set out in a handbook, it will prevent a significant number of claims and put you in a much better position to defend a claim should it arise.

“At Oglethorpe, Sturton and Gillibrand we have many years’ experience of preparing staff handbooks and can advise you and draft you an appropriate handbook for your business,” adds David.